There exists a practice in which motorists who possess a vehicle offer vehicle rides to those who do not. This practice is variously labeled; such labels include ridesharing or carpooling. The reasons for taking part in this practice vary. It may be in an effort to conserve resources, obtain companionship for a particular drive, or help an environmental cause. Regardless, several inherent obstacles prevent more motorists from taking part in ridesharing, even if they would be open to doing so. For instance, organizing rides between a driver and a rider usually involves a certain amount of advanced planning. Often, telephone calls or emails are exchanged between the driver and the rider that negotiate the meeting place and time at which the two will meet. The planning of these communications can discourage potential drivers and riders from organizing vehicle trips. Additionally, safety concerns deter drivers and riders from seeking or giving rides. Frequently, riders and drivers know little about each other, which can create feelings of unease with respect to sharing a vehicle ride.
Increasingly, vehicle manufacturers outfit their vehicles with a wide array of wireless communications capabilities. Vehicle telematics devices installed in modern vehicles can wirelessly send both voice and data communications to a variety of recipients. Recipients can be central facilities that include servers and/or live advisors capable of responding to a telematics unit. Vehicles equipped with telematics units have the ability to gather a diverse array of data about vehicles and send it via the telematics unit.